The National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., played host to a rare moment of bipartisan unity on Thursday, November 20, 2025, as political leaders from across the American spectrum gathered to honor the life and legacy of former Vice President Dick Cheney. Cheney, who died on November 3 at the age of 84 from complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease, was remembered as a towering—if controversial—figure in modern U.S. history.
According to Qazinform News Agency, the funeral service drew a remarkable cross-section of the nation’s political elite. Former President George W. Bush, Cheney’s longtime ally and running mate, led the tributes. In his eulogy, Bush described Cheney as "everything a president should expect as a second-in-command," adding, "In a profession that attracts talkers, he was a thinker and a listener." Bush also revealed a lesser-known episode from their partnership: during the challenging 2004 re-election campaign, Cheney had offered to step off the ticket for the good of the party. Bush recalled, "I arrived at the conclusion they do not come any better than Dick Cheney."
The ceremony was attended by former President Joe Biden, former Vice President Kamala Harris, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and former Vice Presidents Mike Pence and Al Gore, as reported by multiple outlets including BBC and Fox News. Notably absent were President Donald Trump and current Vice President J.D. Vance, who, according to U.S. media reports, were not invited to the service. Former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton also did not attend.
Cheney’s career spanned decades and defined eras. Born in Nebraska and raised in Wyoming, he entered the national political scene early, becoming Chief of Staff to President Gerald Ford at just 34. He then served a decade as a House Representative before taking on the role of Secretary of Defense under President George H. W. Bush. But it was his tenure as Vice President from 2001 to 2009—during the tumultuous years following the September 11 attacks—that cemented his reputation as one of the most powerful vice presidents in U.S. history. He was a key architect of the Bush administration’s "war on terror" and an early advocate of the invasion of Iraq, decisions that continue to shape American foreign policy and debate to this day.
Yet, as much as Cheney was a symbol of Republican strength in the early 2000s, his later years were marked by an increasing distance from the party’s dominant wing. According to BBC, Cheney publicly condemned President Trump’s refusal to accept the results of the 2020 election, a stance that put him at odds with many in his party. His daughter, former Congresswoman Liz Cheney, mirrored this break—most notably through her work as vice chair of the House committee investigating the January 6 Capitol events. Liz Cheney, who spoke at the service, remembered her father as a devoted family man and a principled public servant. "He knew the bonds of party must always yield to the single bond we share as Americans," she said. "For him, a choice between defence of the Constitution and defence of your political party was no choice at all."
The Cheneys’ willingness to cross party lines was further underscored during the 2024 presidential election, when both Dick and Liz Cheney endorsed Democratic nominee Kamala Harris—a move that stunned many longtime observers and drew both praise and criticism. Harris, now a former vice president herself, attended the funeral in a gesture of respect for her one-time Republican rival and supporter.
In a moment that captured the shifting sands of American politics, MSNBC host Rachel Maddow was spotted in the pews, sitting next to Dr. Anthony Fauci and just seats away from Democratic strategist James Carville. Maddow, who had once called Cheney "the maestro of terror politics," was candid about her complicated feelings at the service. As reported by The Washington Post and Fox News, Maddow remarked, "Cheney had changed the country in ways that I almost 100 percent disagree with," but she expressed deep admiration for how Cheney stood by his daughter Liz as she confronted President Trump. "I think it was a really heroic stand, it’s humbling to me. You know, we contain multitudes," Maddow said.
The sight of Maddow at the service sparked a flurry of reactions across social media and traditional outlets. New York Times correspondent Peter Baker quipped on X, "If anybody needed more evidence of how politics have changed in America: Rachel Maddow is at Dick Cheney's funeral." Independent journalist Glenn Greenwald noted, "For so many liberals, Cheney is now rehabilitated despite regretting nothing: solely for opposing Trump." Meanwhile, The New Yorker’s Susan Glasser added a touch of levity, writing, "I got a hug from Rachel Maddow at Dick Cheney’s funeral. Cue the pigs flying."
Other prominent attendees included former first lady Jill Biden, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Senators Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham, and Adam Schiff. Several members of the House January 6 Committee were also present, underscoring the deep connections between Cheney’s legacy and the ongoing debates over the future of American democracy.
Absent from the service were President Trump and Vice President Vance, whose exclusion reflected the very rifts Cheney and his daughter had come to symbolize in recent years. As noted by Qazinform News Agency and Fox News, the Cheneys’ public break with the party over the 2020 election and their endorsement of Harris in 2024 marked a striking departure from the family’s long Republican lineage.
Throughout the service, the mood was one of reflection and, at times, reconciliation. Cheney’s record—marked by fierce partisanship, unyielding conviction, and, in the end, a willingness to put country over party—was on full display. His influence on American security policy, his controversial decisions, and his late-life advocacy for constitutional principles were all acknowledged by mourners and commentators alike.
As the National Cathedral’s bells tolled and the nation’s political leaders filed out, it was clear that Cheney’s legacy would remain both contested and consequential. Yet, for one day at least, the divisions that have so often defined American political life gave way to a shared recognition of service, sacrifice, and, perhaps, the possibility of common ground.
